Real estate broker plans to turn St. Louis nuisance property into domestic violence shelter

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - There are plans underway to turn a St. Louis nuisance property into a domestic violence shelter, according to a real estate broker who has gained access to the property.

St. Louis native Monique Buchanan told First Alert 4 Thursday that she plans to turn Grand Motel into a domestic violence shelter.

The City of St. Louis ordered the nuisance property to close down again after repeated calls for service at the business.

Last year, the city ordered the Grand Motel on North Grand Boulevard in north St. Louis to close down for five months after at least 86 calls for service from Aug. 9, 2021, to Aug. 9, 2022.

Last month, the city ordered it to close for a year starting this month. According to recent court documents, “even with the consent order in place, the police service calls have increased since February of 2023 as neighbors complained the property has reopened, in violation of the consent order.”

The calls for service stem from things like prostitution, rape, shootings, drug overdoses and assaults. Documents also show at least four people overdosed at the motel last year.

Monday, the owners of the motel told First Alert 4 they planned to reopen the motel after the one-year closure, but Buchanan said she has gained access to the property recently.

“Our facility is totally to provide a safe haven,” Buchanan said. “This will be a 24-hour security facility. We have an electric gate. We’re setting up a camera system where you have to show your ID.”

Residents had mixed reactions on social media. Some praised the announcement, others criticized publicly announcing where a domestic violence is located is detrimental to people who intend the use the shelter’s services.

The property is still under a one-year ban by the city.

“I’m trying to work with St. Louis City right now to try to lift that,” Buchanan added.

City officials like Alderwoman Laura Keys, who represents the ward, declined to comment.

Copyright 2023 KMOV. All rights reserved.